Two meetings drew community members who wanted to voice their frustrations over proposed developments in Towson Monday evening.

Bhopkins's insight:

"Attendees heard from traffic, planning and legal experts invited by the organizers, as well as the elected officials and Beth Miller, a member of the Green Towson Alliance, who outlined objections to the project that included potential traffic congestion, pollution, and the threat of too much competition for surrounding gas stations. Miller is concerned that the proposed gas station doesn't fit into the idea, supported by her group, of a "walkable Towson," she said."

No one can blame the landowner for taking this attractive offer when the agricultural profits per acre may be less than the solar company’s payment per acre. However, the net effect of this threatens the use of vital agricultural land for food production, endangers our water supply, and portends the end of the rural way of life for much of northern Baltimore County.

Street Farm is the inspirational account of residents in the notorious Low Track in Vancouver, British Columbia—one of the worst urban slums in North America—who joined together to create an urban farm as a means of addressing the chronic

Bhopkins's insight:

Street Farm will inspire individuals and communities everywhere by providing a clear vision for combining innovative farming methods with concrete social goals, all of which aim to create healthier and more resilient communities.

Good old Sparrows Point is now Tradepoint Atlantic, all 3,100 acres of it, except for a small sliver occupied by a shipyard that is stil

Bhopkins's insight:

Shouldn't a gigantic area of 3,100 acres allow a few hundred acres of public access in the shape of a promenade along the water (except at the shipyard and port area) and a habitat restoration project at the edge that can help mitigate continued pollution seeping out from groundwater and run-off and help clean the Bay?

At the opening of the Owings Mills Mall in 1986, politicians celebrated it as the high-end centerpiece of the emerging, affluent suburb. Thirty years later, workers have encircled the mall with screened fences and are tearing it down.

Bhopkins's insight:

"Brown said he would rather see the former mall site become mix of single- and multifamily housing centered around Main Street-type shopping, with a park or pond as a neighborhood amenity."

LA Green Grounds “Dig-in” in South Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of LA Green Grounds.In Los Angeles, CA, community members involved in the urban farming and food justice movements are keenly aware of the food insecurity that is so preval

Bhopkins's insight:

LA Green Grounds, a volunteer organization that works with residents of South L.A. to convert their front lawns and parkways into edible landscapes and urban farms.

Ward “Wink” Hastings died entirely too soon at age 69 on August 7, 2016 in Baltimore, MD after battling pneumonia. Wink is survived by his brother and sister-in-law Chip and Susan Hastings, and nephew Chris Hastings and wife Cyndy in New Hampshire, his niece Jan Hastings and husband Chip Stiles in Maine, and his Aunt Betty Keller, cousins Burma Barnes and Lucinda Keller in Hawaii, 5 grand-nieces and nephews, a tremendous network of friends in the greater Baltimore area, and colleagues throughout the country. Born in Massachusetts in 1947, Wink spent his childhood in New England and moved to Uta

Bhopkins's insight:

Wink was instrumental to our effort to rank and map our conservation priorities. He was also a great friend. We will miss him a great deal.

Residents of the neighborhoods near the planned Towson Gateway – proposed by developer Caves Valley Partners for the corner of York Road and Bosley Avenue – said it will worsen traffic problems, bring environmental risks, and attract crime.

Bhopkins's insight:

Residents of the neighborhoods near the planned Towson Gateway – proposed by developer Caves Valley Partners for the corner of York Road and Bosley Avenue – said it will worsen traffic problems, bring environmental risks, and attract crime.

German researchers compile a 400-species Citree database to encourage people to plant the "right tree for the right place" in urban areas.

Bhopkins's insight:

Dr Vogt added that she hoped that professionals, such as city planners and landscape architects, would use the database, adding "but we also think it will be of interest for homeowners if they have a garden and want to find out what sort of tree would be suitable".

Denver, CO / Arlington, VA (October 31, 2016) - A new study from The Nature Conservancy finds that an investment in tree planting of just US $4 per resident in

Bhopkins's insight:

A new study from The Nature Conservancy finds that an investment in tree planting of just US $4 per resident in some of the world’s largest cities could improve the health of tens of millions of people by reducing air pollution and cooling city streets.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS: A current law that disallows private dog parks and similar improvements in new communities to count toward meeting the open space requirement in a County where most existing communities have no open space should not be trumped by a new law that makes the situation for existing communities and their residents worse. We urge you to consider the foregoing and to make your position on it known to your elected Council representative TODAY, as this matter is currently slated for a vote on Monday, Nov. 7.

County’s largest, most accessible playground for special needs children Angel Park officially opened today, welcoming kids of all ages and abilities to enjoy a safe, all-inclusive playground specifically designed to accommodate children with special needs by eliminating physical and social barriers to inclusion. This afternoon, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz led a passionate crowd of Angel Park volunteers, donors, Perry Hall recreation and community leaders and elected officials in a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. This unique playground and amphitheater, located next to the Perry Hall Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library, was conceived and majority-funded by community members. Kamenetz presented official Baltimore County Hero pins to Kelli and Andy Szczybor, who were inspired to create Angel Park in memory of their son Ryan, who died as a baby. “When you lose a child, you are just looking for something to help them live on and to help your family to heal,” said Angel Park co-founder Kelli Szczybor. “I am amazed and tremendously impressed with what all of you have accomplished here,” Kamenetz told the Angel Park group. “You saw a need, came up with a very ambitious plan, and you got it done! The result is a remarkable gift to your community - a gift that will improve the quality of life in Perry Hall for generations to come.” Child-inspired design The playground design was developed with input from 4,500 pre-K through fifth graders from the Perry Hall area. The park includes a wheelchair-accessible “shaky bridge,” a Braille panel, therapeutic swings, 30-foot accessible zip lines, as well as quiet spaces for children with autism and other conditions. The storybook theme features a fire truck, pirate ship, castle, music stations, and a treehouse. Local elements include a seafood store, a Terps turtle, a Police station, an ice cream shop and more. Funding for Angel Park Angel Park is the result of three years of energetic fundraising, and hands-on work by thousands of volunteers from the Perry Hall Recreation Council and broader community. Funding for the park came from more than 200 donors at varying levels, sponsorships from corporations, local restaurants, and individuals as well as government grants. Baltimore County Government contributed a $250,000 grant from capital funds, as well as providing the land for the park and ongoing maintenance.

Bhopkins's insight:

Baltimore County Government contributed a $250,000 grant from capital funds, as well as providing the land for the park and ongoing maintenance.

Joss and Barbosa led the side-by-side development of a new Brockton Neighborhood Health Center (BNHC) and a new Vicente’s Tropical Supermarket. Opened in 2015, they are connected both physically and programmatically by a shared purpose: to help people eat better.

Laurie Taylor-Mitchell (a NeighborSpace board member), who revived the weed warrior program in 2015, is leading Cromwell Valley’s volunteer struggle to manage invasives there. On a recent stroll through the park, she pointed to one infestation after another.

"When people think about the value of their homes, they tend to focus on the man-made amenities ... it is important for people to consider the significant financial contribution that trees can make to the largest asset they own. And there are so many other benefits that come with those trees, such as clean air, cool surroundings, and watchable wildlife."

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